Mechanism of Neurological Degradation

It is a pretty well known fact that as humans age the cognitive function of their brain degrades, as well. Certain disorders, diseases and other health aspects such as drug abuse or traumatic injuries can cause an increase in the degradation. However the mechanisms responsible for the normal degradation, outside of the injuries, drug abuse or disorders, is still relatively unknown. But a new research has shown that the decline in function may be a result of astrocyte dysfunction. Astrocytes help with the formation and elimination of synapses in the brain. In the study, done on mice, it was that the aging resulted in increased reactivity of astrocytese. This up-regulation of reactivity causes the astrocytes to lose their ability to carry out their normal functions and release toxins that destroy neurons. This loss of function change in the astrocytes results in cognitive degradtion and an increased possibility of traumatic brain injuries in aging brains.